Walking into the Tamil Nadu Assembly, from tomorrow, may be quite similar to entry into the high security American Consulate in Chennai! You can't carry mobile phones inside.
The announcement by Speaker D Jayakumar will be probably seen as a sequel to neighbouring Karnataka's Porngate. But the idea of a ban surfaced before Karnataka's 'Dirty Picture' - of MLAs watching porn inside the assembly and the 'inspired' action replay by their counterparts in Gujarat. The Tamil Nadu trigger came at the end of January this year, when first time DMK MLA from Manargudi T.R.B Raja, who happens to be the son of former Union Minister T.R. Baalu, had reportedly recorded pictures with his mobile phone inside the House. The young DMK politician faced a ten day suspension for his act. This was at least a week before the Karnataka saga. The Tamil Nadu Assembly Privileges Committee had recommended a blanket ban on mobile phones which was accepted by the Speaker today.
The ostensible reason is to preempt disturbance and disrespect to the House. The response to the ban hinges on which side of the political divide you approach. Pandiarajan from the DMDK finds it "unnecessary." The "decorum of the House must, of course, be maintained but you can be asked to keep your phone in the silent mode. Is this a reflection of an intent to obstruct free flow of information?" A Congress MLA, requesting anonymity, too feels the ban is "unwarranted as there are jammers inside the assembly and phones seldom work here." Another MLA from the DMK sees it as "a hurdle" as elected representatives "need to be always on call 24x7, at least through SMSes."
But the Speaker's ban comes with small concessions. Pigeon holes will be provided for MLAs to keep their phones. Special phones that work with smart cards will be installed at many places around the Assembly Hall.
Journalists on the assembly beat are disappointed that they have not been exempted from the ban. "If we need to break news, how can we wait and leave the scene of action just to make calls?" asks a senior reporter at the Secretariat. T. Ramakrishnan, Senior Assistant Editor of The Hindu says "it makes no difference to me as in any case we don't get any signal inside the assembly. This is just a formal arrangement now." Interestingly, when a privilege motion was passed against his newspaper recently, Ramakrishnan who was covering the proceedings, had to go near the car park to get a faint signal to give his office the news. Of course, there is a fairly well equipped press room in the Secretariat.
In the run up to the present budget session, the Lok Satta Party conducted a campaign to push for live coverage of the Tamil Nadu Assembly proceedings. Currently, private channels cannot shoot the proceedings. Video footage is shot by Films Division and copies are given to TV channels who ask for it, in the evening.
Those at the helm at Vidhan Soudha were accused of shooting the messenger when they sought to rein in journalists, thanks to whom the world got to know the real 'focus' of the honourable members elected to represent voters. Media organisations in Tamilnadu are likely to petition the Speaker to consider exempting Accredited Correspondents from the mobile phone ban. The Right To Know extends to viewers and readers and includes the Right To Know as fast as possible! A mobile phone is almost a part of a journalist's anatomy today! It's fair to ask why a mobile phone cannot be used in silent mode inside the assembly (assuming you get a glimmer of a signal!) when you can quietly send text messages or emails inside court halls?